A cookery blog specialising in dietary requirements and how to cook delicious meals for people with restricted diets. A compromise on ingredients, but not on flavour.

About me

After being diagnosed with a long list of food intolerances seven years ago, I was forced into getting more creative in the kitchen.

For me, the best recipes are those which are easy to prepare and deliver heaps of flavour, perfect for sharing with friends and family without having to single anyone out because of a specialised diet.

My love for cooking and adapting recipes for my own dietary requirements has given me the incentive to share tips with others who also live with restricted diets.

I hope you find a bit of cooking inspiration from my blog. Please feel free to comment and post any questions...

Tuesday, 3 July 2012

A few years ago, I read a book called “French
women don’t get fat.” I was curious to
learn the real secrets of des Mademoiselles and how they stay lean, happy and fashionable
well into retirement.

Contrary to English cynicism, the French
woman’s ‘joie de vivre’ is not down to a minimalistic diet, in which a binge
would consist of 2 glasses of champagne and 3 caviar blinis.

It’s not even thanks to a secret diet
pill not yet made legal in the UK.

The basis of the French woman’s diet is
simply to never deny yourselves of the foods you love, but to enjoy them in moderation.

Author Mireille Guiliano writes about
how French women consciously think about their meals and exercise regimes, whilst
incorporating those tempting sweet treats and higher fat favourites.

For many people, dieting is considered a
period of ‘deprivation’. But inevitably, this will end in a late night biscuit
tin binge, followed by a guilt ridden trip to the gym or even worse, after
having reached your goal weight it’s not long before you’ve slipped back into
old habits and have undone all the hard work.

Like every girl, I have the occasional
weakness for chocolate, but due to food intolerances, this can make things
tricky.

Like most people living with a dairy
intolerance, a good dark chocolate above 70% cocoa solids can still be enjoyed
in small doses.

Although it’s not low in fat, a good quality
dark chocolate contains antioxidants and has proven health benefits such as
fending off the menopause for women and can improve cardiovascular health.

When I’m craving a bit of the dark
stuff, there are several sweet and savoury recipes which I add a few squares of
dark chocolate to.

Dairy free rice pudding

There’s something about making your own
rice pudding which makes the dish so much tastier and gratifying.

Pudding rice is cheap and widely
accessible to purchase and still cooks brilliantly when made with soya or rice
milk.

I
often mix in cinnamon, honey and sultanas, but you can achieve a whole
different flavour by melting in a few squares of Green and Black’s dark
chocolate with raspberries or ginger.

The pudding is really filling and so
much better for you than a full fat, ready made version which contains
unnecessary sugars. I have never seen a pre-made dairy free version either, so
get mixing!

Crème de marrons avec chocolat

I only recently heard of this sweet French
favourite ‘chestnut spread’ and after discovering a jar of chestnut paste at
the back of my cupboard, I decided to make a healthier, dairy free version to satisfy
my cravings for a certain chocolate hazelnut spread.

Place 200g of cooked chestnuts or
chestnut paste in a pan and pour in soya cream until the chestnuts are almost
covered. Add 2 tbsp brown sugar and a vanilla pod, sliced lengthways.

Simmer the mixture in a pan for ten
minutes before melting in a few squares of dark chocolate.

Hand blend until the mixture is a smooth
paste and leave to cool.

The spread is delicious on crackers or
wheat free toast, topped with sliced bananas. For an added kick, you can add 1 ½
tbsp of cognac or your favourite liquor to the pan as it simmers. For me, sweet
liquor such as amaretto or Tia Maria works well.

If savoury treats are more your thing, I
like to grate a few squares of dark chocolate with chilli into my vegetarian
chilli ‘sans’ carne or even nibble a little with some homemade sweet potato and
carrot crisps which contain a lot less fat and calories when baked in the oven
rather than being fried in oil.

Whatever your most tempting food treat
is, take a note from the French and remember that a little of what you fancy IS
good for you and when enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy diet combined
with exercise, there is no harm in it.

About Me

I am a 22 year old student, living, studying and working in the toon! Despite entering the uni lifestyle, my diet and love for good food and cooking has not diminished and I have made it my mission to keep cooking delicious and interesting dishes for friends throughout my studies.
Cooking did not come naturally to me at first. Food technology class was a distressing one, with "interesting" culinary outcomes. But my competitive nature took over and I quickly caught the cooking bug.
After suffering with digestive problems for several years as a teenager, I was diagnosed with intolerances to wheat, dairy, potatoes, chocolate and rye. I also have sensitivity to eggs and have been a pescetarian for the last four years. You can understand what reaction I get when people hear I'm coming to dinner.
Writing about my culinary experiences along the way has been helpful in improving my skills as a novice journalist and in giving advice to others in a similar situation, who may also live with dietary requirements or have made the decision to go veggie, vegan or like myself, pescetarian.
Happy reading and Happy eating!